http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2038809

Howard Stern "Has A Plan"

November 30, 2010
With no news on his contract renewal status looming, Howard Stern did share with a caller this morning (11/30) that he "has a plan for the future of this company" and where he wants to take the show if he were to re-sign with Sirius XM after his contract expires on December 17.

Stern also stated that he had not shared his evolutionary plans with Sirius XM, but suggested that the rapidly evolving technology pertaining to radio over the next five years will change everything and "blow your mind." Stern has asserted in recent weeks that he will continue to "work" and keep the show alive via one medium or another. Whether or not that becomes a subscriber-based streaming/podcast service via a web site or smartphone app, or as part of an emerging company such as Pandora remains to be seen. Sirius XM, with whom he has spent the last five years, recently passed the 20million subscriber mark.

Howard said he knows that people are nervous about them not having a job at the end of the year. He said that they only have a few shows left. Howard said they're done on the 16th. They have 9 live shows left to do. Howard said he'd be happy if it was just over after that. Howard said he's working on keeping them working but it's not working out. Howard said he would like to keep them working but he's not sure what's going to happen.

Gary said that a lot of people think that Howard knows what he's going to be doing and he's just not telling them. Howard said he really doesn't know. Howard said there are a whole slew of people he feels loyal too, even Benjy. Howard said he always comes through in the end. Gary said that's what he's been saying in interviews. He trusts that Howard will come through for them.

Howard said that he's trying to figure out what's best for them. He said that he'd like to keep working. Gary said it would be very weird if December 16th comes around and they still don't know what's going on. Howard said he doesn't have anything definite yet. He said they are working on trying to come up with something but there's nothing definite.

Howard said he heard that Gary is freaking out the most. Robin said that the Howard TV guys are freaking out too. Howard said they do have the TV channel but if they don't have a daily show then they don't have anything. Howard said that he thinks the TV channel will continue either way. He said it's all very complicated.

Howard said he gets that people are freaking out. He said that they must feel powerless. Howard said it's up to him where he goes and then everyone has to decide where they're going. Howard said he thinks it's awful but he's not sure how to handle it. Howard said he can't just say they're moving and go somewhere. He said he's not in charge. He said he doesn't own the company.

Howard asked who is freaking out the most. He heard that Scott the Engineer is the one. Scott came in and said that he's not freaking out or saying anything. He said he'll be 58 next week. He has no retirement plan. Scott said he'll have to do some freelance stuff. Howard asked Scott if the show ends in 9 shows and he has nothing after that. He asked what his plan is. Scott said he has no plan. Howard said he doesn't understand that. Scott said he has money to last him about 6 months. Howard said he's screwed.

Gary said that Suze Orman has a plan for all of this. Gary said that she says you have to have an 8 month plan. Gary said he has about a year. He said that he has a year to look for work and he has to cut back on things.

Howard said it's these guys he has to worry about. Gary said that if Howard had said this 6 months ago he would have gone out and looked for a job. Howard said if he signs a 5 year deal with someone then what are they going to do in 5 years. Scott said he would work on something. He said that he'll try to come up with something.

Howard said that his father told him to just take like $500 a month and put it away for retirement. Howard said that if you do that then you'd have a nest egg. Howard said that Scott hasn't done that. Scott said he lives day by day. Howard said Scott is an amazing guy. He said he could have taken $100 a week and put it away. Scott said he has some savings.

Howard said if he gets someone to hire Scott, which might be impossible, then he's going to have to think about what to do in 5 years.

Richard said he thinks that Scott thought his son's band was going to be his nest egg. Scott said his son has his own life and he wasn't counting on that.

Howard said Jason must be freaking out because he has no plan and he's getting fatter. Howard said he might sign another 5 year deal but he's going to be done after that. He wants to retire. Howard said if he does take that 5 year deal, what is Jason going to do? Howard asked if they're going to have plans after that 5 years. Howard said he's out after that. Howard said Jason is wasting his time on a cruise instead of saving that money. Howard said everyone has to start looking for a job.

Gary said he's been putting money away because his father always told him to do that. Howard said Gary's father died broke. Gary said he didn't have a plan. Gary said he thinks that Howard's next deal will be his last. He said he's preparing for that. Howard said that the experts say that you shouldn't get caught off guard.

Howard said that he heard that if Jason doesn't get his next paycheck he's going to be wiped out. Jason said that he's got savings. He said that he has been saving cash. Will came in and said that Jason does make comments that he has to wait until he gets paid on Friday to make $25 payments to people. Howard asked Will if he has a plan. Will said he's working on it. Will said he's 32 and he's thinking about his future now. Howard said he's got the 130 IQ so of course he's thinking about that. Will said that he's only got a little bit of a plan.

Howard said if he has another 5 year deal they have to work on a plan for their futures. Gary said he will save money and continue to do so. He said that he'll be 55 at the end of that contract and he's not sure anyone will want to hire a 55 year old. Howard said he's right about that. Howard said they've all been very blessed so far.

Howard said he signs 5 year contracts and that's unheard of. Howard said they have to come up with a plan. Gary said he'd rather be there knowing what he has for 5 years instead of being on some other show that's gone in 3 years.

Benjy asked Howard if it's really his primary motivation that he has to keep them working. Howard said he wants to do something and be involved. He said if he didn't want to do it then he wouldn't. Howard said there are a lot of people working there who don't have a plan. Benjy is the worst of them. Benjy said if Howard does another 5 year run then he'll be as old as he says he is now. He said it's really a wake up call for him. Howard said he hopes it is. Howard said that everyone has to put money aside and come up with a plan.

Frear to Speak

David Frear to Present at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference

NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SIRIUS XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) today announced that David Frear, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is expected to present at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York City, on Monday, December 6, 2010 at approximately 10:00 am ET.

SIRIUS XM Achieves A Milestone

SIRIUS XM Achieves A Milestone

By Zacks Investment Research on December 1, 2010

Satellite radio services provider SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. (SIRI: 1.39 +0.02 +1.46%) has recently achieved a milestone, touching the 20-million subscriber base — a historic high. The company, which was facing bankruptcy just a year ago, is now steadily moving towards stability.

SIRIUS XM’s business depends to a large extent upon automakers. The sale and lease of vehicles equipped with satellite radios is the most important source of revenues for both the XM and SIRIUS satellite radio services.

Improving U.S. economic conditions have resulted in the recovery of auto sector sales together with better-than-expected consumer spends enabling the company to reach the summit. SIRIUS XM owns an extensive satellite network covering the whole of the U.S. that streams audio content over 130 channels. After Comcast, the company is now the second largest entertainment subscription services provider in the U.S.

SIRIUS XM declared that despite facing a severe economic turmoil and competitive pressure, it acquired the last 10 million subscribers faster than the first 10 million. The company now expects to add 1.3 million net subscribers in 2010, much higher than its previous prediction of 1.1 million. Importantly, this is the fourth time that management has raised its subscriber guidance for 2010.

During the third quarter of 2010, SIRIUS XM reported great improvement with respect to several operating metrics. Average revenue per user was $11.81 compared to $10.09 in the year-ago quarter. Conversion rate was 48.1% compared to 46.2% in the year-ago quarter.

Average self-pay monthly churn rate was 1.9% compared to 2% in the year-ago quarter. Subscriber acquisition cost was $59 compared to $69 in the prior-year quarter. Customer services & billing expenses per subscriber were $1.02 compared to $1.01 in the year-ago quarter.

Standard & Poor’s (S&P) declared that it has put its ratings for SIRIUS XM on credit watch for a possible upgrade. S&P has currently assigned a “B” Corporate Credit rating for SIRIUS XM.

Recently, Moody’s Investor Service upgraded the credit rating of SIRIUS XM. The corporate family rating of SIRIUS XM is upgraded to “B3” from “Caa1” and the probability of default rating has been upgraded to “B2” from “B3”. Overall, Moody’s rating outlook for SIRIUS XM is stable.

Howard Stern inks 5-year contract with Sirius XM
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Share | Recommend PrintEmail Alert By David B. Wilkerson, MarketWatch
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Star radio host Howard Stern has signed a new five-year deal with Sirius XM, he and the company said Thursday, in a deal that includes distribution to mobile devices for the first time.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The contract runs through Dec. 31, 2015.

Sirius XM shares (SIRI 1.40, +0.09, +6.43%) were up 6.5% at $1.40 in early morning trading.

In a statement, Stern noted that the company’s subscriber rolls have swollen to 20 million from the 600,000 who had signed up by 2006, when he began work for the satellite radio provider. Sirius completed its $13.6 billion acquisition of XM Satellite in July 2008.

“I am especially excited that my show will now be heard through Sirius XM on mobile devices. Access to my show on mobile devices will open up additional opportunities for my fans to hear me wherever they are,” Stern commented.

There had been speculation that Stern might return to CBS (CBS 17.86, -0.12, -0.67%) Radio, where he held court in morning drive time for more than 20 years.

December 9, 2010, 10:04 AM
Howard Stern Stays On Satellite Radio
By BEN SISARIO
It’s five more years for Howard Stern on satellite radio.

Mr. Stern, 56, announced on his Sirius XM Radio show on Thursday morning that he had renewed his contract with the company. He did not disclose terms of the deal, and spokesmen for Sirius and Mr. Stern could not immediately be reached. But on recent episodes of his show, Mr. Stern has said that his negotiations had involved the schedule for his show.

Mr. Stern joined Sirius in 2006 on a $500 million, five-year deal after 30 years on terrestrial radio.

Howard Stern re-ups with Sirius XM Radio for 5 more years after threats to leave

Frazier Moore, AP Entertainment Writer, On Thursday December 9, 2010, 10:28 am
NEW YORK (AP) -- After all his threats to leave, and others' speculation on where he might go, Howard Stern is staying put at Sirius XM.

The loose-lipped shock jock announced on his show Thursday that he has signed a new five-year contract with the satellite radio company.

The deal, which runs through the end of 2015, provides that Sirius XM can now transmit Stern's show to mobile devices. No other terms will be disclosed, the company said.

Stern had been locked for months in stormy negotiations as his original five-year contract with Sirius radio, worth a breathtaking $500 million, neared its expiration just days from now. Sirius and then-rival XM radio merged in 2008.

Growing doubts from observers that Stern would stay had fueled a guessing game of where the self-proclaimed "King of All Media" might land: to Internet radio, premium cable TV, even back to terrestrial radio, where he once reigned while clashing with federal regulators over his sometimes raunchy content.

Earlier this week on his show, he vowed in typically salty (and uncensored) fashion that he would not accept a pay cut if he stayed at Sirius XM. But Stern remains the company's biggest marquee name and customer draw among its more than 135 channels of commercial-free music and talk.

"On my first day in satellite radio Sirius had approximately 600,000 subscribers. Today, the two companies have 20 million, and, in my view, we have just scratched the surface of how many people will get on board," Stern, 56, said in a statement.

"Howard forever changed radio and was instrumental in putting Sirius on the map when he first launched on satellite radio," said Mel Karmazin, chief executive officer of Sirius XM. "He is one of the few 'one-name' entertainers in the country and our 20 million subscribers are lucky to have him."

Stern, whose show airs from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. EST Monday through Thursday, freed himself from the confines of terrestrial radio on Dec. 16, 2005, after hosting a wildly popular show syndicated by a division of CBS Corp.

He had frequently tested and sparred with the regulatory FCC during his 25-year run on the public airwaves, often having his morning show bleeped by censors, much to his ire.

"I don't compete on terrestrial radio anymore," said a grateful Stern on his first Sirius broadcast, on Jan. 9, 2006. "It's so over."